This blog tells stories of one of the most brilliant, creative, versatile, controversial, successful and unsuccessful men in the history of advertising and marketing. He has founded or helped found six agencies, twelve companies, three divisions, and a retailing concept that has swept the world.

In 1970, JBA produced “Men of Destiny”, which became the only retail—and only non-national commercial—accepted into the CLIO Hall of Fame. A 40-year old 16-mm film of that 60-second commercial is here.

J. Allen Murphy & Bobby Short

“Barney’s Opened it’s new emporium, The International House and America House with Bobby Short Trio playing in Barney’s Imperial Room. JBA PR Director J. Allen Murphy shared Bobby’s bench.”

“This photo was taken to appear in a New York Times two-page ad created by Jack and titled A New York Mayor and a New York President discuss New York as a Place to Do Business. The Warehouse Sale came a few month’s later.”

“Casey immortalized this fitting (arranged by Jack Jay Byrne) by recording his pleasure in a 60-second monologue to Roger Day’s son, Roger, which then ran as a commercial and earned Casey a CLIO for best radio announcer of the 1971, beating out OSCAR winner Sir Laurence Olivier.”

“I was engaged daily in major conversations with Zayre, Two Guys, K-Mart and Sears about major participation in their advertising futures. I had opened Mall Marketing of America, Media in Motion and had 13 Tony Bennett half-hour TV specials in Jack Byrne Productions syndication in 86 markets in America.”

Texas: Jack Byrne made a deal with Bob Hope. If he would do 3 radio commercials for Barney’s with Jay and Day, they would talk about his upcoming TV musical, Roberta. Here the three meet on the set of Roberta in Dallas, and discuss the scritps. Roger, as a bomber pilot in World War II, had met Bob in London on one of his troop-entertainment tours.

“The groundwork had begun 4 years before in a program created by Jack Byrne comprised of identifying Barney’s with every possible positive upscale New York image through the constant upscale radio “reporting” of Jay and Day and through New York Times ads that featured everybody from Andy Warhol to Mickey Mantle and Senator Jacob Javits. The advertising began three years before the image of Barney’s created by these messages would be a reality.”

Rocky Graziano was my “buddy”. He always worked to find ways we could work together. He convinced Mickey Mantle and Kyle Rote to join him in my menswear syndicated spots including Smokin’ Joe Frazier and Soupy Sales.

“The Jack-Byrne conceived Grand Opening Party of the new Barney’s attracted leaders of the fashion industry, world celebrities and, even, John Lindsay, Mayor of New York. Here French designers, Hubert de Givenchy and Philip Venet chat with JBA PR Director, J. Allen Murphy.”